José Kaor Dokú, the last surviving member of Santa Fe, established himself as the first Colombian professional soccer champion, in 1948, died this Tuesday, in Barranquilla, at the age of 98.
Of Japanese ancestry, her father was the hairdresser Toshio Dokú, the first Japanese to marry Candelaria Bermejo in Colombia, Kaor was born in Usiacurí (Atlántico).
He was a non-commissioned officer in the National Navy and a transfer from Leticia to Bogotá opened the doors of Santa Fe for him through a chance meeting with Barranquilla soccer player Roberto ‘Perro’ Gámez, who was his teammate on the Nariño team.
“With you we will be champions”Kaor said that Gámez told him.
The Santa Fe leadership requested permission to submit him to a test and this was done in a match in Fontibón, where he scored an Olympic goal, which was enough for him to be left on the team.
He acted as a defender on the left side and was characterized by playing with a headband on his forehead. He was paid 50 pesos per game won and 25 pesos per game tied. He used to arrive at matches in El Campín dressed in Navy clothing, where he served as head of provisions of the personnel department.
Dokú was one of the four Atlanticenses who were crowned champions with Santa Fe, in 1948. The others were Gámez, Fico Pantoja and Antonio Julio De la Hoz. The coach was the Peruvian José Carrillo. The prize he received for being champion was 500 pesos. The runner-up was Junior.
José Kaor Dokú made his debut with Santa Fe on October 17, 1948 in a match against Independiente Medellín. With the capital red, with which he acted until 1953, he played 77 matches.
In 1952, he was absent from Santa Fe as he volunteered for the country’s battalion in the Korean War.
In 2018, to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the first Santa Fe title, the Bogota team paid tribute to him prior to a match against Junior, in Barranquilla.
“History made him a legend”Independiente Santa Fe indicated on his Twitter account.
Dokú will be veiled in Gardens of Eternity.